Monday, February 4, 2013

I Threw Up On My Garmin

My WILD and WOOLY trail race was buckets of fun on Sunday! It started with me getting car sick(?)on my way to the race. Boy Scout/50 Miler Man pulled over on the free way and I promptly covered my mouth with my wrist(OK, who does THAT?)and threw up on my Garmin, out onto the freeway. I had some "reserve" toilet paper in my bag(because I roll like that at races, you just NEVER know)and wiped my watch but forgot to get the watchband. GAK! Throughout the race, like every tenth of a mile, I'd get a whiff of my stomach contents and want to heave all over again. BUT...I just ran.
And ran...
And ran...

When I got to the MOUNTAIN of 1,000 Steps, I started to hike and the Boob behind me started talking about eating NACHOS at his upcoming SUPER BOWL party. BLECH and GAK once again!
"Should I have guacamole or just beans?" "Sour cream?" "Which has more calories, beans or guacamole?" I was SO ready to snap at him but the thought of turning around on the steep incline and accidentally "seeing" what I had just climbed freaked me out so I kept working on the hill. The thought of food sent me up the hill faster, you can't really throw up while you are straddling a boulder and trying to climb step # 345. I'm not saying I conquered my GOAL of NOT WALKING the hills but I did strut my stuff trying to get away from Boob.

Once reaching the top, I realized that it was about 80 degrees and this was the SECOND time I had run a race in the heat--this winter--and it made me laugh. Rocks, heat, vomit, guacamole, slippery down hills...what could I do but laugh? This is just another reason I love adore trail running. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S AROUND THE NEXT CORNER. You can never predict what's going to happen once you get to the top of a mountain. This element of surprise keeps me on my toes and makes me embrace the unpredictable.

I finished the race. Was I sick? Did I run with stomach flu? Food poisoning? Car sick? Who knows but I ran with all that was within and a little of what was on the freeway and ended up with a PR by seconds...one that I had set four years ago. It made me happy to know that getting OLDER, getting sick and getting over the guacamole has only made me stronger.

9 comments:

You're not a real runner unless you carry toilet paper ... or tissues. No advice on the Garmin problems. But I put my iPhone in rice when I accidentally dropped it into the sink. That's kind of the same isn't it?

Good job on the race. Age isn't an excuse for you. You just keep beating it down.

Nice one Meg! I dont know who the bigger boob was? lol. Just kidding. I need to get out west and do some trail running. Beautiful Landscapage by God All-mighty! Sorry your Garmin I think threw up too. Have a good one, and thanks for sharing the puke run race!

I think you deserve a new Garmin to celebrate your PR - woohoo!! Nice job, chica, despite the vomit and the guac and the annoying boob man. You are rocking this thing girl, I'm so very proud of you! Go old age!!!!xo

Awesome Meg, well done! I laughed a lot while reading this as I can relate to so much of it. I always have toilet paper in my car...even when driving to work or church. I get car sick very quickly and have to drive or I will vomit. I hate running with annoying talking people. You are strong!

"... as the Dali Lahama told me once, Unga Oogilah Unga. Which means always keep a trash bag in the car. Fill it up, and once filled throw it out the window. So, I have that going for me, which is nice." (with your best Bill Murray, Groundskeeper voice from Caddyshack). Sorry Meg. My Mom always had a vomit bag in the car just waitin' for some action. Somehow, after many roadtrips now with my own Fam, the example found meaning in my life not long ago. BTW, we never throw things out the car window - just sayin'.